Begunje na Gorenjskem, Castle and park

The Katzenstain Castle dominates the nucleus of the settlement Begunje. It was built in the 16th and 17th centuries and later was rebuilt several times. When the medieval residence in the Draga Valley, Kamen Castle, was not sufficient for the Kacijanarji and other owners, they ruled this castle - manor. The whole complex is a typical Baroque (1641-1681) residential complex composed of a wide nucleus and tracts surrounding the inner yard. The axis of the building starts at the village church and continues on the other side of the road through the promenade planted with trees and along the slope of a hill; at the ridge it ends, at least symbolically, with the church of St. Peter. The other axis faced the geometrically designed garden. The staircase of the garden and individual residence areas on the floor are decorated with luxurious stuccowork (from around the year 1660), which is of very good quality for our territory and exceptionally well preserved. During the reshaping of the castle, a rich painting of the staircase and stonecutting details, such as the inscription plate, were preserved. During World War II there were prisons in the castle with more than 10,000 prisoners. The side ground floor tract with a dozen original cells has been converted into a memorial museum.

The Baroquely trimmed box tree from the castle garden and the well are only known from written records and graphic images. The most visible part of the design was the late Renaissance grounds. In the times of Valvasor it was divided into sixteen rectangular fields, inside of which were ornamented patterns. At the junction stood the fountain. The well, elements of the statue and a small wall are partly preserved. The castle and Plečnik's Brezjanka at the edge of the slope are connected by a chestnut promenade. The hostages' cemetery was arranged after World War II (architect Edo Ravnikar, sculptor Boris Kalin, 1953) on its right side. Plečnik's pavilion mentioned before is a simple pediment with six mighty wooden beams and a roof and benches below it. Not far away stands the built garden pavilion, named Joža Murka, built in 1938. There is an area with a table and under the pediment is the altar of St. Joseph (sv. Jožef). The famous architect designed both pavilions before 1939, when he was also designing the outfit of the castle chapel (after the war it was destroyed and the fittings taken away).

The central part of the castle houses a psychiatric hospital. Visits are only possible if announced in advance. The park and hostages' cemetery are freely accessible. The museum with the prison in the yard tract is open regularly. A smaller museum collection of the band Avsenik is in a nearby restaurant. The hostages' cemetery in nearby Draga (architect Edo Ravnikar, 1953) boasts a quality design as well, while the mighty ruins of Kamen Castle stand above the valley.